Android and iOS combined for the highest percentage of the smartphone market ever in Q2

The latest statistics for Q2 2012 for the smartphone market are in from research firm IDC. The numbers show that Google and Apple own 85% of the smartphone market overall. IDC reports that that represents a new combined high for the two operating systems.

"The mobile OS market is now unquestionably a two-horse race due to the dominance of Android and iOS," said Kevin Restivo, senior research analyst with IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. "With much of the world's mobile phone user base still operating feature phones, the smartphone OS market share battle is far from over. There is still room for some mobile OS competitors to gain share, although such efforts will become increasingly difficult as smartphone penetration increases."

While Google and Apple smartphone operating systems grow, BlackBerry and Symbian both saw their market shares drop below 5%. Individually, Android has 68.1% of the smartphone market shipped during Q2. Comparatively RIM (BlackBerry) shipped 4.8% of all smartphones while Nokia (Symbian) shipped 4.4%. Microsoft sits in the fifth spot with 3.5% of the market putting it behind Symbian.

"Android continues to fire on all cylinders," said Ramon Llamas, senior research analyst with IDC's Mobile Phone Technology and Trends program. "The market was entreated to several flagship models from Android's handset partners, prices were well within reach to meet multiple budgetary needs, and the user experience from both Google and its handset partners boosted Android smartphones' utility far beyond simple telephony."

Apple owned 16.9% of the smartphone market with iOS during the quarter. It continues to be impressive that Apple command such a large portion of the smartphone market with so few products. IDC reports that demand for the iPhone 4S has waned since rumors have suggested that the next generation iPhone will hit the market early next month.